1. Environmental Science Fields of Study

2. Environmental science is interdisciplinary: Ecology – How living things interact with each other and their nonliving environment For example: A ecologist might study the relationship between bees and the plant that bees pollinate Chemistry – Helps us understand the nature of pollutants Geology – Helps us model how pollutants travel underground Botany and Zoology – Provide information to preserve species Paleontology – Can help us understand how Earth’s climate has changed in the past.

3. What Are Our Main Environmental Problems?

4. Resource Depletion: -Any natural material that is used by humans is called a natural resource -These resources can either by renewable or non renewable -Renewable: ones that can be replaced relatively quickly by natural processes -Examples – water, air, soil, trees and energy from the sun -Nonrenewable: ones that form at a much slower rate -Examples – minerals and fossil fuels

5. Pollution: -An undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms

6. Loss of Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the number and variety of species that live in an area -Organisms are considered a natural resource and if they become extinct they are considered a nonrenewable resource